Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Shrubs 0.5–2 m tall.

Stems: Stems erect to decumbent.

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Opposite. Blades obovate to broadly elliptic or suborbicular, 2–12 cm long, 1.5–7.3 cm wide. <u>Surfaces</u> densely white strigose, epidermis usually obscured, especially on the lower surface, the hairs sometimes spreading, 0.5–1.5 mm long. Surfaces densely white strigose, epidermis usually obscured, especially on the lower surface, the hairs sometimes spreading, 0.5–1.5 mm long. <u>Margins</u> usually entire or nearly so. Margins usually entire or nearly so. Petiolate. <b>Stipules</b> absent. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Flowers in spikes congested, 3–25 cm long, the rachis densely white pubescent or tomentose, 1.5–2.5(–3) mm in diameter, the hairs spreading to appressed, 0.5–2 mm long. peduncles 0.6–3.4 cm long. sepals subtended by a lanceolate, spine–tipped bract 3–6 mm long, bracteoles 3.5–5.3 mm long, spine–tipped. Flowers bisexual (perfect). <b>Calyx</b> of 5 sepals, sepals subequal, 6.5–10.5 mm long apex acute. <b>Corolla</b> (petals) absent. Stamens 2–5, connate at base; anthers dithecal. Ovary superior; ovule 1; style slender; stigma capitate.

Fruit: Utricles 1.5–3 mm long. <b>Seeds</b> 1 per fruit; the surface usually lustrous; <u>endosperm</u> essentially absent.

Ploidy: 2n = 76*; 78*

Habitat: Scattered in low elevation; open; dry forest remnants and open thickets; on talus or rocky slopes; and on coralline plains.

Elevation Range: 0–30(–500) m.